Smokey Would Love This Bandit Pontiac Trans Am Drag Racer

For many, the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am is the pinnacle of automotive coolness. Thanks to Smokey and the Bandit, the black with gold accents is a look many aspire to put in their garage. But, if you’ve ever driven one of those classic muscle cars in factory spec, let’s just say they leave a lot to be desired. One guy decided to do something about that, building his into a legitimate street legal drag racing monster.

See some guys try bringing a flooded 1972 Corvette back to life.

He actually drives his Pontiac to races, then drives it home, a move we really respect. So many guys throw theirs in a trailer and haul it that way, which obviously you can do, but to have a build that can throw down on the drag strip yet is civil enough to drive a few hundred miles (not to mention reliable enough) that’s really impressive.

Under the hood adorned with a scoop is a 383ci Chevy small block V8, which is pure blasphemy versus using one of the many potent Pontiac engines out there. The owner laughed about that when showing off is car in the Autotopia LA review, so we’re guessing he’s taken some flak for it.

The engine is apparently fully built and pushing about 450-horsepower, so it’s the real deal. Backing the engine is a Turbo 350 3-speed, which apparently is civil enough but isn’t great for freeway travel.

For drag racing, the guy has two small shots of nitrous. He also has poured a lot into suspension upgrades, tuning this muscle car for more than just going straight, which is why he can drive it on streets and it’s enjoyable.

This Trans Am also looks fantastic. The owner fabricated the front splitter himself at home with minimal tools, which is impressive. Same goes for the plexiglass rear spoiler. This is a great garage build and is inspirational for anyone trying to create something unique on a limited budget.

Watch the review to see the details and this ride in motion.

Images via Autotopia LA/YouTube